Archie (Aaron) Orlikow

(Sept. 15, 1922 – December 6, 2012)

On December 6, 2012 Archie Orlikow passed away peacefully and comfortably at the age of 90 in his home at the Simkin Center, Winnipeg. A loving, compassionate and caring dad, papa and friend: He will be greatly missed by many.

Dad will be lovingly remembered by his “Number one son” Bill (Elaine) of Vancouver, “Number two son” Jim (Linda) of Winnipeg and his grandkids Marianne and Evan, also of Winnipeg. Also sharing in our sadness and remembering the tireless compassion of Dad’s life are Anne Orlikow, Dr. Pat Davis and his nieces and nephews and their families (Leslie, Gordon, Dan, Nancy, Kineret, Peter, John and David on the Orlikow side; Pat and Tom on the Davie side). Dad will also be greatly missed by Al Mayes of Vancouver, Rose and John Rhodes of Ottawa and lifelong friends made growing up in Elmwood, the RCAF, The North End, MPhA, The General Monash Legion, the cribbage groups, the pharmacy “gang” and the class of ’48, the NDP friends, his friends and caregivers since 2008 at the Simkin Center and many others.

Dad was pre-deceased by his parents, Louis Orlikow and Sarah Cherniak; his brothers David and Lionel Orlikow and his devoted wife of 58 years Helen. He was the last one standing of the three Orlikow boys!!

Dad was born in Winnipeg on September 15, 1922. He grew up in Elmwood, living on Glenwood Crescent, going to school and playing tennis. He served 38 months as a radar operator on Canada’s west coast (Spider Island) for the RCAF during WWII.

After the war, Dad went to university on a veteran scholarship. He graduated from the University of Manitoba Pharmacy Class of ’48. His first job was at the original Broadway Pharmacy not far from the Legislature. Then he and his brother David bought Saunderson Drugs on Main St. at Atlantic Avenue in the 1950s, re-naming it Orlikow Drugs. It was Dad’s world for 19 years. Dad followed his long hours, 7 days a week in retail pharmacy with hard work for the Province of Manitoba. He worked on the Advisory Committee on Drug Purchasing, the Inter-changeable Drug Formulary and Pharmacare. After Dad retired from his fulltime work for the province, he enjoyed several years doing “locum” pharmacist work throughout the province – Churchill, Gillam, Notre Dame and elsewhere. He attended every pharmacy convention while he was still able. Dad’s career in pharmacy lasted 64 years. In fact, he was proudly telling the nurses at VGH Emergency just 2 weeks ago that “he was a pharmacist”.

Archie’s work was recognized many times. He received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. In February 1982, Archie was awarded Pharmacist of the Year in Manitoba– an especially cherished honour. In the Manitoba Society of Pharmacists Communication newsletter of Nov 2003, Archie’s MSP Life Membership and lifetime membership in the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association was announced. The article, written by Andrew Allentuck, described him as “a kind of elder statesman for the profession of pharmacy” and “the virtual ethicist of the profession”. He was 81 at the time.

Beyond Pharmacy, Archie and Helen lived a life of mutual love, devotion, friendship, support and caring. They met on a bus trip from Chicago in 1947 and married in 1949. Dad was equally passionate about loving all of us. He was generous with help in the early years, and later proud of all of our accomplishments. He was most proud celebrating 58 years of marriage to Helen on May 11, 2007.

Dad had a great life. For him that meant hard work, commitment to his values and beliefs, fairness, and doing the best you can. He loved to participate in the political process. He volunteered in countless election campaigns in the Winnipeg North, Rossmere and Transcona ridings. He also did volunteer work for the General Monash Legion, The Middlechurch Home, the Parkinson Society and countless other committees and memberships. Most recently, he served on the Residents Council at the Simkin Center.

After Mom passed away, there was a huge void in Dad’s heart. He moved into his last home at the Simkin Center in October 2008. He faced many challenges and struggled mightily with the frustration and indignities of aging with Dementia. In the last phase of his life, he often relived his life experiences, both good and bad. However, he never complained and still cared about others. He enjoyed Sunday Dinners at Jim and Linda’s until a month before his death. Dad’s smile was widest when he could see Evan and Marianne, whom he adored. He was always happy to see visitors, other residents, and the staff who shared his last years and often rewarded them with a word or two in their first language or a song associated with their culture. Special thanks to niece Kineret Rifkind and her family (Yitzy, Naftali, Adina, Akiva, Ari) for visiting dad faithfully and taking beautiful photographs that we treasure.

Dad will continue to be our inspiration to keep going, work hard and be strong. And how lucky we were to have him with us this long! We wish to thank the caregivers at the Victoria Hospital Emergency Department. We also want to offer our greatest thanks and deepest gratitude to Dr. Pacin and all the caregivers, staff and volunteers at the Simkin Center and Weinberg 3 in particular. Special thanks to Dad’s companions over the years, Sharon, Rosa and Delores for the caring, compassion and patience you showed him and all of us over the past many months. We could not have endured Dad’s journey without you. Finally, special thanks to Cindy Bass, Dad’s music therapist, for brightening his Thursday afternoons with singing & music right up until hours before he passed away.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to do so may make a donation to the Archie Orlikow Memorial Endowment Fund at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba in care of Blair Nicholls, CFRE Donor Relations, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bannatyne Campus University of Manitoba, 290-727 McDermot Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5.

A Celebration of Dad’s life will be held on Friday Dec 14, 2012 at 2:00pm at Thomson In the Park, 1291 McGillivray Blvd, Winnipeg, Mb.